#NationalWalkoutDay

Students Walk Out In Remembrance of Florida School Shooting Victims

Caroline Bonacorso

While participating in the walkout on March 14, sophomores Lexi Valdez, Naomi Davis, Maria Engemann, Tanner Sneed and Shayla Crumb-Potmesil sit and hold hands out of respect for the 17 victims of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting. #NationalWalkoutDay was trending globally on Twitter to cover all the walkouts across the country. “We wanted to sit down to make it better because everyone else was standing and talking and laughing, instead of paying attention to the ones who passed away,” said Valdez.

Christopher Spry, Reporter
March 14, 2018

Students gathered together today for a schoolwide walkout in remembrance of the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, one month ago.

The walkout lasted 17 minutes to honor the 17 victims who died in the shooting. During the walkout, a moment of silence was initiated by junior Kyleigh Taylor.

“Some friends and I thought it was a good idea that we honor those that we lost and to remember what the walkout was for, so we had a moment of silence,” said Taylor.

Although hundreds of students walked out, many chose not to participate. Sophomore Myles Howard was one student who decided not to participate.

“I didn’t really see the point in it,” said Howard. “And what it’s going to do to drop the rate of school shootings rather than staying in the school and learning?”

While it was not organized by anyone specific in the student body, students took it upon themselves to walk out in an effort to make the change they want to see in society.

“I believe that guns are more fatal to people than help them. I think it’s time America joined the rest of the world and not allow everyone to have a gun, so we can actually decrease the amount of violence in our communities,” said senior Samuel Vigliaturo. “I think the walkout showed that there is a strong belief in our young people that guns are not a right, they are a privilege. And if you can’t earn the privilege to have a gun, you shouldn’t have one.”

Principal Larry Smith came out around the middle of the walkout and stayed until the end. At the end of the walkout, Smith told the student body they did a good job.

“I support bringing awareness to school safety,” said Smith. “This is a very important topic — school violence that is, and efforts to bring awareness to or attention to the need for school security and schools to be the safest places as possible for the students and everyone who works in the school.”

The walkout did help some students realize what kind of impact school shootings can do to a nation.

“It helped a lot of people realize what they were walking out for and helping to make a difference in someone’s life,” said freshman Charlie Adams.